Two Hilo residents cited by DOCARE officers for being in lava evacuation area

(Hilo) – Two Hilo residents were cited by a DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources (DOCARE) officer for loitering in a closed area under Hawai‘i County ordinance (HCC7-10).

DOCARE reports 32-year old Alexander White and 41-year old Ruth Moss were cited in the closed area at the bottom of Highway 137 near MacKenzie State Recreation Area. They were with two children and were observed walking along the shoreline at Coconut Grove on Saturday at 12:45 p.m.

The DOCARE officer says the adults and two children did not have personal protection equipment (PPE) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) readings were 2.3 parts per million (PPM) earlier in the day. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) sets the safe level for SO2 at less than 2.0 ppm.

All four people were escorted back to the roadblock on Highway 137 where White and Ross were cited. Under a supplemental proclamation from Governor Ige, fines for being in areas restricted or closed due to the continuing East Rift Zone Eruption can reach as high as $5,000 with up to one year in jail. Since the eruption began this brings the number of people cited by DOCARE and Hawai‘i County Police to 76.